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09/02/1999 Archived Entry: "Buttermilk Lemon Sorbet"

Rozanne Gold has started a revolution. Just the other day I heard one of our food pundits, Daniel Young, the restaurant critic of the New York Daily News and author of The Paris Café Cookbook, say that “simplicity is back … just using three or four ingredients in a dish.” It’s true and Rozanne, who I am very proud to say is one of my oldest and dearest friends, sounded the first revolutionary cry with Recipes 1,2,3 her book of recipes with only three ingredients. When it was published in hardcover in 1996 (it is now in paperback) it was like a slap in the face to chefs who had been throwing everything but the kitchen sink on their plates. Then Rozanne followed up this original work with another book, Recipes 1,2,3 Menu Cookbook. Not published yet, but in production for spring publication, is Recipes 1,2,3 Entertaining. I happen to know that Recipes 1,2,3 Healthy (maybe that’s not going to be the exact title) is in the works.

I’ve written about Rozanne and her 1,2,3 books before. There are several reasons I am writing again. The influence of her work is becoming recognizable even to those who don’t know about it. And her work is being copycatted: The idea for the New York Times “Minimalist” column by Mark Bittman, which is nationally syndicated, comes directly from Rozanne. (I happen to know that the Times even asked her to write their column, but she declined.) And Gourmet magazine introduced a three-ingredient cooking column in the current, September issue.
In addition to all that, and I suppose the real reason I am writing about Rozanne today, is that so many of you have asked for the following recipe, a buttermilk-based sorbet or ice cream (it is technically neither) that somehow tastes like frozen cheesecake. It’s from the first Recipes 1,2,3.

Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream
Serves 8

2 cups superfine sugar
6 large lemons
1 quart buttermilk

Put the sugar in a medium size bowl.

Grate the zest of 2 or 3 lemons so that you have 2 tablespoons of grated zest.

Juice as many lemons as needed to get 1/2 cup lemon juice.

Add the zest and juice to the sugar in the bowl and mix well.

Add the buttermilk and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Chill 4 hours or overnight.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.